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Classic Female Blues. "Classic Female Blues" or more accurately "Vaudeville Blues," was a field dominated by women singers that enjoyed its heyday in the 1920s. Although officially introduced by Mamie Smith with her hit Okeh recording of "Crazy Blues" in 1920, vaudeville entertainers such as "coon shouter" Sophie Tucker and comedienne Marie ...
- Top Best Female Blues Singers
- Black Female Blues Singers
- Modern Female Blues Singers
- Female Blues Singers of The 2000s
- White Female Blues Singers
- Female Blues Singers of The 1990s
- American Female Blues Singers
- Female Blues Singers of The 50s
- Female Blues Singers of The 60s
- Female Blues Singers of The 70s
Here are the ten most influential and successful female blues singers of all time. While there are countless other vocalists that you will find on our extensive list, these are the ones that have made an indelible impact on the genre. 1. Koko Taylor 2. Bessie Smith 3. Ma Rainey 4. Aretha Franklin 5. Bonnie Raitt 6. Shemekia Copeland 7. Janis Joplin...
While women of many backgrounds have contributed to the blues throughout its history, blacks made a particularly important impact on this powerful musical style. Those who sing the blues often focus on different aspects of both love and loss, but black female artists in particular bring an emotional vulnerability to the genre that holds great power...
Modern female blues singers have been capturing the attention of music fans around the world. Drawing from a traditional heritage, these women are bringing a new energy and sound to the genre. But what makes these singers so distinct? Today’s female blues musicians are pushing boundaries and developing their own individual style while still paying ...
The 2000s saw a huge resurgence of the blues music scene and females were at the forefront. Led by iconic stars such as Janis Joplin and Koko Taylor in previous decades, female blues singers of the 2000s continued to carry on this legacy while introducing fresh perspectives into the genre. Artists like Susan Tedeschi, Beth Hart, and Shemekia Copela...
While the blues is predominately an African American genre, there have been some notable white female blues singers throughout its history. Though they weren’t as prominent as their black counterparts, these female performers played an important role in the blues scene and have continued to inspire future generations of singers. The most famous whi...
The blues scene of the 1990s was a hotbed of activity, with many renowned musicians and bands coming to prominence. Though it was dominated by male performers, there were a handful of female artists that also made their mark. From Bonnie Raitt to Koko Taylor, these women became major figures in the blues scene of the era. Drawing on traditions of o...
The history of American music is incomplete without the blues and at the heart of this history, there have been some truly remarkable female blues singers. From Ma Rainey to Big Mama Thornton and Bessie Smith, these women have made an indelible mark on American music and culture. Their influence can be heard in everything from classic soul records ...
The 1950s was a time of great change and innovation, with genres like rock and roll taking the world by storm. But while many new sounds were emerging, traditional blues music still had a strong presence in American culture. And female singers played an important role in this era, helping to keep the old-time traditions alive while also creating so...
In contrast to the 50s, the 1960s saw a huge resurgence of blues music with the rise of electric blues. This new (and loud!) sound was ushered in by legendary acts such as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, but it also allowed for female singers to make a name for themselves. The era saw major figures like Etta James, Koko Taylor, and Big Mama Thornton...
Coming out of the 60s blues boom, the 1970s saw a period of intense creativity and experimentation. Female singers of this era were determined to make their mark on the genre, bringing with them an energy and passion that would shape the sound of blues for years to come. This new generation of women in music was full of firsts; some went down as tr...
Classic female blues was an early form of blues music, popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues. Classic blues were performed by female singers accompanied by pianists or small jazz ensembles and were the first blues to be recorded.
- Scott Billington
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- Ma Rainey. The singer Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, who became known to many through the film adaptation of August Wilson’s play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, was a pivotal early blues figure, and a transitory figure between vaudeville and blues music.
- Bessie Smith. In the 1920s, the “classic” female blues singers were a nationwide phenomenon, dominating the field while guitarist/singers such as Blind Lemon Jefferson and Charley Patton were just beginning to record.
- Memphis Minnie. Lizzie “Memphis Minnie” Douglas was the first prominent female guitarist in the blues, playing with a virtuosic swagger that helped place her among the most popular blues artists of the 1930s and 1940s.
- Blue Lu Barker. When New Orleans native Louise “Blue Lu” Barker moved to New York with her husband, the guitarist Danny Barker, she was immersed in the city’s thriving jazz scene.
- Listen: Mamie Smith and her Jazz Hounds - Crazy Blues (1920)
- Listen: Ma Rainey with Louis Armstrong - See See Rider Blues (1924)
- Listen: Bessie Smith - Downhearted Blues (1923)
- Listen: Ida Goodson plays and talks about her upbringing.
May 16, 2024 · The blues, a genre birthed from the depths of African American hardships, resilience, and the unyielding spirit of expression, has been shaped significantly by the contributions of numerous women. These women not only defined the genre but also paved the way for future generations in music.
Jul 1, 2020 · 'Women Who Shaped The Blues' featuring Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Memphis Minnie, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and more, by Chris Wheatley.
